Hydraulic pulling tool



E. P01-Ts HYDRAULIC PuLLNG Toor.

Dec. 1, .1959

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18, 1950 INVENTOIL L ik?.

A rroR/vfy Dec. l, 1959 E. l.. POT-rs 2,915,126

HYDRAULIC PULLING Toor.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1950 E L. P0 f5 3o JNVENTOR.

Dec. 1, 1959 E. l.. PoTTs HYDRAULIC PULLING Toor.

Filed Jan. 1s, 195ol 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ELL/00H5 INVENTOR.

J-ul.;

ATTORNEY Dec. 1, 1959 E. L. P01-'rs 2,915,126

HYDRAULIC PULLING TOOL A r TOR/vf y ite Ataten V HYDRAULIC kPULLING TODLErnest L. Potts,-Houston,` Tex., assigner, by mesne assignments, toCicero C. Brown, Houston, riex.

` Application JanuaryA 18,- 1950,- -Serial N o.' '139,267

9' Claims. (Cl. 16o-L98) This invention relates to a pulling tool andparticularly tota pulling toolbf a type adaptedtopull liners,

. screens, stuckpipe or other stuck 'object froma well.

A principal object is to provide animproved pulling 1 tool ofthetypedescribed which. is hydraulically operated.

Another object is, to, provide a pulling. toolY composed oftelescopicallyengaged sections, movable 4relatively to each other,byhydraulically operatedmeans, theinner section having anchoring meansfor anchoring its upper end .toa well casing, andthe outer section beingprovided witha grapplemeans for connecting itslower end to, an objectwhich is to'.be pulled fromthe well.

A more jspecificobject isto pros/idea` pulling tool in which theanchoringmeansfor anchoring the outer section to a.we'll. casingl.isactuated by the same hydraulic pressure employed to actuatethe tool.

A further specific, object is to provide in a hydraulically operated, pullingtool ofthetype described, a pressure relief meanswhichservesalsoto provide a signal to indicate completion of thepullingstroke of the tool.

,Other and more speciiic objects and advantages foi this invention willbecome apparentfrom theufollowing detaileddescription whenfread inconjunction'with the. ac-

companying drawings Whichillustrate a useful embodiy ment in-.accordance with this invention.

In' the drawings:

atent Fig. 1 is a view showing the pulling tool inserted in` awellfandconnected to a stuck pipe Whichis to be pulled, `the parts beingAshown in thepositionsoccupied at the completion of, a pulling-stroke;

'Figs-.2, v3, 4- and 5, together, constitute a longitudinal`quarter-sectional view fof :the pullingy tool, showing theseveralpartsin their respective, positions 'when being I lowered-intheWell;

Figs. 6r4 and ,7, together, constitute a view generally :similar tothatfshown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and' 5, butshowing the parts inthe positionsoccupied during active pulling operations;

Fig.` 8 .is, a crosssectional view along .line".8-8 .of

nected thereto, a suitablegrapple means lZ, which .may be anyone of thevarious conventional grappling or iishing .tools commonly` employed inwells. The particular Vgrapple means, illustrated. by wayof example, isa conventional pipenspear Whichlis adapted .to be inserted :in the bore-ofga tubularobject113-,suchvas a pipe or liner whichis'stuckfin.awell;A bore 14 which is lined withthe usual` steelfeasing;`15. GrapplegmeanslZ is provided tzwith :theriusualrioothed slips 116:;.v'vhicln aree designed ato 2,915,126 Patented Dec. v1, 1959 .2 n bevforced outwardly into engagement with the inner wall of the object bysuitable manipulation of the spear in accordance with conventionalpractice, in order to thereby anchorshell 10 rigidly to thefstuckobject. The upperjend of stem 11 which extends from the upper end ofshell 10 is provided with an` anchor means, designated j generally bythe numeral 17, which is designed to anchor the upper end oistern 11 tocasing 15, and is connected to an loperating pipev string 18, whichextends to the surface.

.Shell' 10is composed of a series of tubular cylinders 19 which arecoupled together by means of screw cou- `plings Zlieach of which isprovided with an inwardly extendingannular shoulder 21 which closelysurround stem 4r11 tov permit relative sliding movement between the`stem and shell. The annular spaces beneathshoulders 2,1between thecouplings and theexterior of stem` 11 Vform stufng boxes 22 in whichcompressible packing 23 is installed, the packingbeing compressed bymeans -of annular lgland nuts 2 4 which arescrewed into the ylowerjendsofthe stuflingnboxesinto compressive relation with'the packing to urge,the packing against shoulders "21jandjto kthereby expand. itrintofluid-tight sealing relation with the exterior Vof stem`1'g1. jTheanrnilar:y spaces `between stem 11 and vcylinders 19 extending longitundinallybetween `each pair of couplings 20 vdeiine piston chambers'25. AAtubular couplingmernber ork sub 26 is screwedintojthe lower end ofthelowermostpcylindcr 1`9'and is 4provided atitslowenend with'anexternallythreaded 1tooljointl pin 27'jfor connecting shell V10v to thegrapplingjmeans 1,2. Subw26 is provided with an axial bore 28 forconduct of iluid passingthrough the tool. An.;.upward1yfa in,g ntrual,ShQuldef 2911 Provided in subf26 toward'its lower endA for purposes tobedescribed hereinafter. The uppermost'one of cylinders19` is provided.with angularly spaced elongatedslots 30' cut'in opposite walls of thecylinder extending longitudinally thereof jfrom agpoint just belowtheupper end of Ythis cylinder .to a point somewhat, above the irst ofthe couplings 20. Lateral recesses 31.are provided at the lower yendsrof'slots 30.'

Stem `11 is composedof a` ser ,iesiof tubular. sections 32 connectedtogether by collars 33. Those of the sections'32 which extend .throughthe,A several piston'chambers r25 are provided with.annularvcup-shapedvsealing krings'34 which `are iixedly attachedto thestem sections at theupper edges of collars33. y Sealingrings 34 areconstructed of rubber Vor other suitable resilient material areprovidedat their outer peripheral edges with out- .wardly ilaring vflexible lips35 which are adapted to slidably `seal with the walls of the respectivecylinders 19.

.A plurality of Vangul-arly spaced radialports 36 are providedin thewall of stem sections 32 at points just above eachof the sealing rings34,to provide communication between the respective piston chambersand-the Vaxial bore` 37 ywhich extends throughout stem 11. Collar 33connecting the two uppermost stem sections31 is provided -vvithoutwardlyk projecting lugs 38, equal in, num- Vber to slots 30, and areadapted to extendvinto, slots 30 `to provide a longitudinally slidableconnection between stem 11 and cylinder 10,v butwhenin registration withrecesses 31, to enter recesses 31 in response to` a small degree ofrelative rotational movement betweenstem 11 and cylinder 10 to lock thestem and cylinder .against relative longitudinal movement.

Anchor means 17 is mounted on theV upper end` of uppermost-stem section32 and is composed of an enlarged y i generally cylindrical body 39having an axial bore 40 therethrough which registers with axial bore 37.An annular= channel 41 is cut circumferentially in the exterior-ofrbody-39 and lhas .seated vthe inner end thereofa tubular sleeve 42,composed of rubber or other suitable resiiient composition, whichvisradially expandible and contractible by uid pressure applied to itsinner face through ports 43 in the wall of body 39. A plurality of slipsegments 44, having downwardly facing teeth 4S, are mounted on theexterior surface of sleeve 42 and are adapted to be radially expandedand contracted in accordance with corresponding movement by sleeve 42.The upper end of body 39 carries an internally threaded box 46 forattachment of the stem structure to operating pipe 18. The lower end ofstem 11 is tted with an upwardly opening check valve (see Fig. 9particularly) which comprises a tubular valve cage 47 which is screwedinto the lower end of a collar 33 which is connected to the lower end ofthe lowermost stem section 32. The upper edge of cage 47 is providedwith a tapered valve seat 48. An internal annular shoulder 49 isdisposed in the bore of cage 47 intermediate its ends and a plurality ofradial openings 50 in the wall of cage 47 provide tluid communicationbetween the bore of the cage and the annular space between the cage andthe inner wall of sub 26. A valve 51 having a downwardly taperingannular seat 52, fitted with an annular compressible seal ring 52a totightly engage seat 48, is mounted above the latter on a stem 53 whichextends downwardly through the bore of cage 47. A tlange 54 is mountedon the lower end of stem 53 and has a diameter such as to extendradially over shoulder 29 and over the lower end of cage 47. A coilspring 55 surrounds stem S3 and is mounted Within the bore of cage 47 incompression between shoulder 49 and flange 54 whereby to urge stem 53downwardly to hold valve 51 on seat 48. The lower face of ange 54 isprovided with a plurality of radial channels 56 to permit passage offluid between the portions of bore 28 above and below shoulder 29 whenflange 54 is in contact with shoulder 29`. A number of radial openings57 are provided in the wall of sub 26 to provide fluid communicationbetween bore 28 and the exterior of the tool. Additional series ofradial openings 58-58 are provided in the walls of cylinders 19 adjacenttheir lower ends.

The operation of the above described device is as follows: The tool willbe connected to pipe string V18 by connecting the upper end of stern 11thereto throughv the medium of box 18. Grapple means 12 will beconnected to the lower end of shell by means of pin 27, and theassembled string lowered into well bore 14 through casing 15. At thisstage, which is illustrated particularly in Figs. 2 to 5, lugs 38 willbe engaged in recesses v31 holding outer shell 10 in the elevatedposition relative to stem 11 and shoulder 29 will be thereby pulledupwardly against flange 54 whereby to urge valve'stem 53' upwardlyagainst the resistance of spring 55 and thereby raise valve 51 off ofseat 48. Opening of the valve will permit fluid which may be, andusually is, present in the well and which must be. displaced to allowthe tool to move freely down the well, to llow through openings i 57 and50 into the bore of cage 47 and thence through the open valve into bore37 of stern 11. Or well fluid may also be displaced upwardly throughappropriate passages in the grapple means into borel 28 of sub 26,passing through channels 5,6, and thence through openings 50 into bore37 of the stem. Grapple means 12 will then be engaged with the object,such as pipe 13, which is to be pulled, to thereby rmly anchor outershell 10 firmly to the object` The attachment of a grapple means 12,such as the conventional pipe spear illustrated in Fig. l, is entirelyconventional and well known, and is accomplished ordinarily by limitedrotation of the operating string which will cause slips 16 to beexpanded into tight gripping engagement with pipe 13. The rotation ofstern 11 necessary, to elfect this attachment of the grapple means topipe 13 will be in the direction to also cause lugs 38 to rotate out ofrecesses 31, thereby releasing shell 10 and stem 11 for relative axialmovement. The operating string will now be raised, pulling stem 11upwardly relative to shell 10, since the latter will now be anchored tothe stuck pipe. Lugs 38 will move upwardly in slots 30 until they strikethe closed upper ends of the slots, whose length will ordinarily be madeto approximately the full length of the stroke of the pulling tool,thereby fully extending the tool to the position at which pulling actionis initiated. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the positions of the severalparts of the tool at this stage of operations. It will be seen thatseals 34 are now in the upper ends of piston chambers 25 and that thecheck valve in the lower end of stem 11, being also drawn upwardly outof contact with shoulder 29, is now closed by downward pressure ofspring 55 against ange 54.

Hydraulic fluid, of any suitable character, such as ordinary drillingmud, will now be pumped down the interior of the operating pipe into thebore of stern 11. Since the latter is closed at its lower end by valve5-1, .pressure will be built up in the fluid, a portion of which willtiow through ports 43 and will act against the inner face of sleeve 42expanding the later outwardly under the pressure of the fluid. Theresulting expansion of sleeve 42 will drive the slip segments 44radially outwardly into tight gripping engagement with the wall ofcasing 15 (see Figs. 1 and 6), thereby firmly anchoring the upper end ofstem 11 to the wall of the casing. At lthe same time, the uid introducedinto bore 37 of the stem will ow through ports 36 into the severalpiston chambers 25 and will exert hydraulic pressure therein betweensealing rings 34 and the upper end closures formed by stuing boxes 22,and will produce relative axial movement between these seals. Since stem11 is now firmly anchored to casing 15, the pressure will act upwardlyagainst the upper ends of the piston chambers, ,and as these are rigidlyconnected to shell 10, the latter Vwill be forced in the upwarddirection relative to stem 11 and the upward force thus applied will betransmitted vto grapple means 12 and its connected iish" and pull thelatter upwardly in the well bore. The upward movement of shell 10 willdraw cylinders 19 up over seal rings 34, and at the completion of thestroke of the tool, the seal rings will be at the bottoms of the pistonchambers (Figs. 2 to 5). Openings 58 permit escape of any uid which maybe trapped between the piston chambers below sealing rings 34.

As the cylinders approach the upper end of their strokes, shoulder 29will again come in contact with flange 54 and upon slight additionalupward movement of shell 10 will compress spring S5 and open the checkvalve. This will immediately relieve the uid pressure in the tool, thefluid escaping from the lower end of bore .37 and flowing through theopen valve into the bore of cage 47 and thence through openings S0 and57, into well bore, either through bore 28 and the fluid passages in thegrappling means, or directly through opening 57. The release of pressurewill become immediately evident through a drop in pump pressure at thesurface, thereby providing means for signalling completion of thepulling stroke. At the same time, the relief of pressure in the toolwill also relieve the expansive pressure on resilient vsleeve 42,thereby allowing slip segments 44, to retract ifrom their grippingengagement with casing 15, and placing the tool and the attached fish incondition to be with- -drawn from the well, if the sh has beensufficiently floosened. If not, the tool is in position to begin anotherpulling stroke. This may be accomplished, once the pressure has beenrelieved, as described, by again raising voperating string 18 to pullstem 11 upwardly to its fully extended initial position, at which sealrings 34 will again be at the upper ends of the piston chambers andvalve 51 will be closed. Fluid pressure will be reapplied to againexpand slip segments 44 andl anchor the stem in its newly elevatedposition, and simultaneously begin another pulling stroke of shell 10.This operation fmay It will be understood that'lthe number 'and'dimensions of the hydraulic cylinders which-.may be employed may bevaried as desired, depending'upon the pulling force and length ofstrokedesired. Various other alterations and changes-may be made inthepdetails of the illustrative embodiment' within the scopeofjtheappendd .claims "withoutfdepartingfrom the 'spirit' of 4thisinvention.

' -"What I claimand d'esire'to' secure' by1Letters`Patent is:

1. `A pulling rtool of' the class "described, comprising, inner andouter tubular members telescopically connected for relative axialmovement, longitudinally spaced annular seal means mounted on therespective members to seal between said members, means to introducepressure fluid between said tubular members between said seal means toproduce said relative axial movement, grapple means carried by saidouter member connectible to an object to be pulled upwardly in a wellbore, well wall-engaging anchor means mounted on said inner mem.- berabove said outer member, and normally closed check valve means disposedin the bore of said inner member and including an operating memberpositioned to be engaged by said outer rnember upon pre-determinedrelative upward movement of said outer member to open said valve means.

2. A pulling tool of the class described, comprising, inner and outertubular members telescopically connected for relative axial movement,longitudinally spaced annular seal means mounted on the respectivemembers to seal between said members, means to introduce pressure uidbetween said tubular members between said seal means to produce saidrelative axial movement, grapple means carried by said outer memberconnectible to an object to be pulled upwardly in a well bore, iiuidpressure-actuated well wall-engaging anchor means mounted on said innermember above said outer member, and normally downwardly closing checkvalve means disposed in the bore of said inner member, and means carriedby said outer member operably engageable with said valve means when theinner and outer members are in their fully inwardly telescoped positionsto move said valve means to the open position.

3. A pulling tool of the class described, comprising, inner and outertub-ular members, telescopically connected for relative axial movement,longitudinally spaced annular seal means mounted on the respectivemembers to seal between said members, means to introduce pressure fluidbetween said tubular members between said seal means to produce saidrelative axial movement, grapple means carried by said outer memberconnectible to an object to be pulled upwardly in a well bore, fluidpressure-actuated well wall-engaging anchor means mounted on said innermember above said outer member, latch means between said members toreleasably hold said members in relative contracted position, andnormally closed check valve means disposed in the bore of said innermember.

4. A pulling tool of the class described, comprising, an inner tubularstem, an outer cylinder mounted to move longitudinally on said stem andhaving sealing means at its upper end surrounding the stem to seal offthe cylinder, a seal member xed on said stern to sealingly engage theinner wall of said cylinder, a port in said stem for transmittingpressure fluid from said stem into said cylinder between said sealedupper end and said seal member, an upwardly opening check valve meansnormally closing said stem below said seal member, shoulder means insaid cylinder below the check valve means, said check valve means beingpositioned on said stem to be opened Iby engagement with said shouldermeans by predetermined relative upward movement of said cylinder,grapple means on said cylinder for connecting it to an object to -bepulled upwardly in a well bore, and fluid pressureactuated 'anchor''means mounted 'rom-'said stem 5. A pirlling'toolof the'class'desciibed,' comprising-an Zinner'tubular stemfan" outer cylinder'mounted to-move v^^longitudin'ally`on said stem'andf'haviug sealingmeansat itsupp'er end surrounding 'the stem to 'seal off the cylinder,VLarsealmenfber fixed on said-stemto'sealingly engage the v"inner"wal lof'said "cylindenlmeans v:normally closin g 'the boref' said' sternbelow Athe s'ealfmember, aportv in said v"stem for 'transmittingYpressure'duid-"from` said steml'into said""cylirlder^ b'etWeensaid'-`seaied"upper end and said seal member, grapple means on saidcylinder for connecting it to an object to be pulled upwardly in a wellbore, and iluid pressure-actuated anchor means mounted on said stemabove said cylinder radially expandible into gripping engagement withthe Wall of said well bore, said anchor means comprising a resilientsleeve surrounding said stem, a port in said stem opposite said sleeve,and segmental slips mounted on the exterior of said sleeve.

6. A pulling tool of the class described, comprising, an inner tubularstem, an outer cylinder mounted to move longitudinally on said stem andhaving sealing means at its upper end surrounding the stem to seal oithe cylinder, a seal member fixed on said stem to sealingly engage theinner wall of said cylinder, ya port in said stem for transmittingpressure lluid from said stem into said cylinder between said sealedupper end and said seal member, grapple means on said cylinder forconnecting it to an object to be pulled upwardly in a well bore, aresilient sleeve surrounding said stem above said cylinder, a pressurefluid transmitting port in said stem opposite said sleeve, segmentalslips mounted on the exterior of said sleeve radially expandible intogripping engagement with the wall of said well bore by expansion of saidsleeve, check valve means normally closing the bore of said stem belowsaid seal member, and shoulder means in said cylinder below said checkvalve means, said check valve means being positioned on said stem to beopened by engagement with said shoulder means by pre-determined relativeupward movement of said cylinder.

7. A pulling tool of the class described, comprising, inner and outermembers telescopically connected for relative axial movement,longitudinally spaced annular seal means mounted on the respectivemembers to seal between said members, means to lintroduce pressure fluidbetween said tubular members between said seal means to produce saidrelative axial movement, grapple means carried by said outer memberconnectible to an object to be pulled upwardly in a well bore, wellwallengaging anchor means mounted on said inner member, and normallyclosed check valve means disposed in the bore of said inner member andincluding an operating F member positioned to be engaged by said outermember upon pre-determined relative up-ward movement of said outermember to open said valve means.

8. A pulling tool of the class described, comprising, inner and outertubular members telescopically connected for relative axial movement,longitudinally spaced annular seal means mounted on the respectivemembers to seal between said members, means to introduce pressure iluidbetween said tubular members between said seal means to produce saidrelative axial movement, grapple means carried by said outer memberconnectible to an object to be pulled upwardly in a well bore, uidpressure-actuated well wall-engaging anchor means mounted on said innermember, and normally downwardly closing check valve means disposed inthe bore of said inner member, and means carried by said outer memberoperably engageable with said valve means when the inner and outermembers are in their fully inwardly telescoped positions to move saidvalve means to the open position.

9. A pulling tool for use in a well, comprising, inner and outer tubularmembers telescopically connected for relative axial movement, said innertubular member being normally closed'at its-.inner end,. longitudinallyspaced annular seal means mounted on the respective members to sealbetween said members, means to introduce pressure fluid between saidtubular members between said seal means to produce said relative axialmovement, grapple means carried by said outer member connectible to anobject to be pulled upwardly in the well bore, and well wall-engaginganchor means mounted on said inner member, said anchor-means comprisinga plurality of segmental slips mounted about the exterior of the innermember for radial movement relative thereto, and port means in saidinner member opposite said anchor means for transmitting fluid pressurefrom the interior of said inner member against the slips.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS LawrenceJan. 9, 1951

